21st Precinct, Sergeant Tierney. Where's that? Somebody gave shooting your shot. Yeah? Yeah, well, did you see it? Where is the woman? Yeah. Which way did they go? Up first, Avenue O'Clock Town. You are in the muster room at the 21st Precinct, the nerve center. A call is coming through. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute onward. You will follow the action taken pursuant to that call from this minute until the final report is written in the 124 room at the 21st Precinct. All right, you just wait right there. I'll send the officers right over here. And an ambulance here. Just wait there and show them where it is. Okay. 21st Precinct. It's just lines on a map of the city of New York. Most of the 173,000 people wedged into the nine-tenths of a square mile between 5th Avenue and the East River. Wouldn't know if you asked them that they lived or worked in the 21st. Whether they know it or not, the security of their homes, their persons, and their property is the job of the men of the 21st Precinct. The 21st, 160 patrolmen, 11 sergeants, and four lieutenants, of whom I am the boss. My name is Kennelly, Frank Kennelly. I'm captain in command of the 21st. I was working my night tour, 4 p.m. to 8 a.m. It was a warm spring night and I took advantage of the weather to make a thorough survey of conditions in the precinct in connection with the growing problem of useful offenders. Riding in sector car number two with patrolman Patrick E. Gale as operator, I patrolled the precinct from one end to the other to look for possible couple spots during the coming months of warm weather. Places where potential teenage couple makers might congregate. Certain street corners, candy stores, playground and park areas, movie theaters, and so forth. I had noted several such places for future reference, and at 11.15 p.m. I instructed patrolman Cahill to return to the station house. We were at 96th Street and Park Avenue proceeding downtown when a signal 30 ambulance responding at 1st Avenue and 90th Street was broadcast. The signal 30 denotes an armed felony and all RMP and detective cars in the vicinity are required to respond. I instructed patrolman Cahill to make the run. With the siren open, we headed for the scene. When we were at 90th Street, I saw that a detective car and the sergeant car were already on the job. As patrolman Cahill pulled into a stop, I could see a small crowd gathered around an object lying on the sidewalk. The object appeared to be the body of a man. All right, help him keep the sidewalk clear, Cahill. All right. Stand back there. There's nothing to see. Police officers, coming through. Coming through to get back there. Where we got the Luca? Oh, he's shot, Captain. He doesn't look good. He's unconscious. All right, I'm not going to tell you again. Stand back there. How did it happen? It appears to be a robbery, sir. He was with a woman. Sergeant Jennings has her sitting over in this car. All right, get back. I want to get back. There's nothing to see. You, you. Come on. Get on the job here. Help keep the sidewalk clear. Okay, Captain. I'll be with Sergeant Jennings. Yes, sir. All right. Let me through there. All right. Give him a little air. Will you stand back there? Coming through. There's nothing to see here. Hello, Sergeant. Hello, Captain. How is he? Is he all right? Did you talk to him? All right, Miss. Just take it easy. There's nothing we can do now. The ambulance is on the way. Really? I thought you were seeing a guy. I like that guy. She's not there already. This is Captain Pennelli, Miss June Nailen. Miss Nailen? Is he going to die? The ambulance will be here right away, Miss Nailen. What happened, Sergeant? She said they were in the nightclub downtown. I'm going to go over and see if I can do anything for him. There's nothing you can do, Miss Nailen. I think you ought to sit right in the car. Yeah. Make them out. Walk to where the car was parked. We were going to go to another place, a place on 57th. When they got in the car, they made them up, fell from the door when they had a gun. The moment the gun got in back, the other one forced her to move over and got behind the wheel. You were going to do the driving? Well, it's my car. And he's already had a few bills. Well, there he goes. He's taking an awful long time. When is he going to get here? Right away, right away, Miss Nailen. While they were driving uptown, they took the wallet and money off him. Did he carry much money? Well, he always carried pretty much. He's from Chicago, you know. He's just visiting in New York. About how much? I don't know exactly, but usually he never has less than a thousand dollars with him. In cash? Yes, in cash. They stopped the car here, told Miss Nailen and, uh... Yeah, the welder, Eric. Mr. Eric, take it out. Mr. Eric tried to pull one of them out of the car, tried to shot to them, they got back in the car and went off. Which way? That way. Up First Avenue? Is this First Avenue? Yes. That's the way they went, up that way, up First Avenue. Got an alarm out on the car, sir? Yes, sir. I rang the information, gave them the description of it. It's an I.K. 52 Pi, yet convertible blue, light blue. Did you give in the registration number? Uh, no, sir. He doesn't know it offhand. The registration's in the glove compartment. I always leave it there. New York place? Oh, yes. He lives in Chicago. I live in New York. I think he's got his teeth. He thinks he's very bad. He won't die. Well, we'll see what the doctor says. He would get out there and have a good time, that's all. That's a good time. Something like this has to happen. Yeah, yeah, he's rough. Have you known him very long? Oh, yes. Several years we've seen each other whenever he comes to New York. Is that often? Yes, he's here frequently. I'm busy. Oh, the ambulance. Oh, that's good. He's like a pitfire ever. Let me go over there now. I'll get a cup to see him. All right. In a minute. Where will he be taken, do you know? Do you want him at the hospital? No, Mount Pinai is the closest. He'll have a best doctor's appointment. He can afford the bed. Yes, he'll have the bed. All right, doctor. Okay. We'll go over there now. Okay. Can I go right to the hospital? Well, the, uh, the detective wants to talk to you, Miss Nella. About what? Oh! Yes? He has a wife in Chicago where someone's getting caught with her. I wouldn't want to do it. Yes, we'll take care of it, Miss Nella. Oh, that's good. I don't know what to tell him. All right, let's go over there. Now. The shooting victim was carefully put on the stretcher by the ambulance attendant and police officers. The first officer on the scene, patrolman Daniel Ritchie, rode the ambulance to Mount Pinai with the victim to secure the balance of the information for his aided case report. As the ambulance was pulling away, Lieutenant Matt King, commander of the 21st Detective Squad, arrived with two of his detectives. Sergeant Waters introduced them to Miss Nellen, gave them the names and addresses of other witnesses, and gave them such information concerning the crime as had been gathered. The uniformed officers were then instructed to resume patrol, and the investigation of the case was left in the hands of detectives. I returned to the station house where at midnight I turned out the platoons for the 12 to 8 tour. During the course of the night, I had occasion to confer with Lieutenant King in regard to the case. He told me that an alarm had been put out from Miss Nellen's car, this one including the registration number. No luck. The victim had undergone surgery at Mount Pinai, and the doctor said his condition was critical. At 8 a.m. I turned out the platoon for the day tour and signed a blotter to go off duty. Shortly after noon, Detective Louis DeLuca was sent to Mount Pinai Hospital by Lieutenant King. He went to the third floor, orthopedic section, and walked from the elevator to a pair of swinging doors behind which the floor nurse had at her desk. Good morning. Oh, good morning, sir. Detective DeLuca, are you the nurse I spoke to on the phone? Yes, that's right. Miss Nellen is waiting out in the lawn. Which way is that? Pretty right through the front door. Poor thing, she's been here a few minutes. I wanted to get her some coffee if she wasn't having any. How is he this morning? Any better? Still unconscious. Does it look like he'll make it? Well, that's not for me to tell you. Oh, good morning, Detective DeLuca. Oh, yes, I'm sorry. It's a lot of excitement when you're here during the night. There was. Yes, but you won't be able to talk to him. He's still unconscious. Yes, I know, Doctor. I came to see the young woman. I told her to go home some hours ago. Is she still here, Doctor? At the Celerium. Well, thank you. I'll go see her. You're welcome. What do you think his chances are, Doctor? Well, it's hard to say. 50-50? 50-50, yes. Oh, yes? Any chance of his regaining consciousness? Not so that you could talk to him. Well, the Celerium, exactly. Yes, thanks. Oh, that young woman ought to go home and get some rest. I haven't been able to do anything with her. Maybe you can. I'll try. Is she very close to him? A friend. Oh, well, you'll see what you can do. Yes, sir. I will. Thanks. Good morning. Good morning. Doctor says you should have gone home a long time ago. I know. I can't. Not if I found out he was going to be all right. He was a tough drinker. Why did they want to see him? They didn't want to see him. They could have had the money without seeing him. Well, they could have, but they didn't. It's going to die. The doctor says he's got a 50-50 chance. Well, you know he's going to die. Why did they have to do it? The money was nothing to him. He would throw it away. Throw it away like that. They didn't have to see him. Why did they do it? We can ask them. Awesome. What do you mean? We had the alarm out on your car. New York State police picked him up near Albany this morning. Did they? Yes. Lieutenant King wants to see you. Why? Right now. But I should wait here until I find out about Mander. Maybe you can come back and wait after you talk to the lieutenant. What did he want to see me about? I told him everything I know. He wants to talk to you about the two that were arrested. Oh. We sent a couple of men up to Albany to get them. We want you to see if you can identify them. What about my car? Did they get that to you? Yeah, they went up on the train and they'll drive back in your car. Oh, that's good. Is this your coat? Yes. Well, they sent it to us. That's the last thing we should have done, shooting. The guy's money. What makes him so crazy? Don't ask me. I've been in this job 13 years. I haven't found out yet. It was 1235 when Miss Nailand and Detective DeLuca left the hospital and headed for the station house. Although I was scheduled to be off duty, I had received a telephone call at my home to appear at the borough commander's office at 2 p.m. for a meeting of precinct commanders to discuss the assignment of men from the various commands to plain clothes work, which consists of enforcing the laws relating to gambling and public morals. In this connection, before going to the meeting, I stopped at the station house to pick up the personnel files of the men I plan to recommend to the job. Hello, Captain. Sergeant. We expect you in today. Who's the clerical man on the job, Sergeant? Fowling, Captain. All right, ring him there and tell him I want to see him in my office right away. Oh, yes, sir. Oh, let's submit it just on your desk, Captain. Okay, good. Hello, Captain. Oh, Matt. Hello, Lieutenant. Sergeant. Well, I understand we got those two who did the shooting on First Avenue last night. Yes, sir, that's right. State police got them on the road up near Albany. Oh, that's good. Yes, sir. Got them in the car and they admit the shooting. I sent Sheriff Patrick and Goldman up to bring them in the car back. How's the man doing, man? Not too good, sir. Touch and go whether he'll live or not. Too bad. Doctor told me that one bullet wound in the shoulder wasn't too bad, but the other one in the chest is rough. Okay, Miss Nailen. Straight on through. Hello, Lieutenant. Hello, Captain. Hello, Miss Nailen. Hello. You met Captain Kennelly last night? Yes. Miss Nailen. Will I be here long? I really should get back to the hospital. Well, you go upstairs. We'll detect it to look. I'll be right up. I really can't stay too long. Right. Yes. Come on, Miss Nailen. I really have to get back to the hospital. What about the wife, Mrs. Eric? Well, the Chicago police made a notification she's flying here. Oh. Was Miss Nailen at the hospital all night? Yes. Huh? She must have some feelings about him. Yeah, I'm sure she does, Captain, but I don't know what kind of feelings. Fitz called me from Albany. He said the two boys that got up there told him the whole deal. The kidnapping, the robbery, even the shooting was all her idea. I talked to Lieutenant King about the case for a few minutes more until Patrolman Fallon, the clerical man, came out of the 124 room. I went into my office with Patrolman Fallon, and Lieutenant King walked through the back room and up the stairs to the second floor where the 21st squad is located. He opened the door and was met by Detective DeLuca. Where is Miss Nailen? In your office, Lieutenant. A floor nurse over at the hospital just called. He didn't die? No, nothing. The wife showed up. She's been talking to the doctor. Nice thing. She got in by plane, took a cab, straight to Mount Sinai. I told the nurse to ask her to come over here later. You want to talk to her. Good. Let's go see Miss Nailen. Yes, sir. You didn't say anything to her to do it? Oh, nothing. I was worried. Hello, Miss Nailen. Hello. Sit down, let's get you tested. Sorry to get you back here. I know you didn't have much rest last night. I didn't have any. Have you really got them? Are you sure they're the right ones? They were in your car, Miss Nailen. We put out a teletype alarm last night. The state police spotted the car on the road. Oh, that's good. I'm glad. I'm glad for Waldo, I think. How long have you known Waldo, Miss Nailen? Oh, quite some time. Seemed very often. Every time you got home, you'd be in the car. Very often. Every time he comes to New York, he looks his car, you know. Yes, we know. Every time he comes to New York, I'm busy. We go out, rest, theater, and out club. He has a good time. How often does he come to New York? Oh, I don't know. Every month. He's showing up business to you. How long does he stay? New year's day, you know. Yes, he does. Two or three days, maybe sometimes a week. I had a good meeting. Do you remember? Yes, I remember. It was two friends. They had a party, and I was there, and Waldo was home. That's how we met. Daphne and I, we had a big business in the car, and he was really a sweet guy, really. He was saying something I just had to happen to. How long have you lived in New York, Miss Nailen? Have you made any differences? We'd like to know. We'd just like to get things straight. I've lived in New York most of my life. Do you work? No, I don't work. How do you get along? I have my alimony. I thought it was Miss June Nailen. See, when I got my divorce, it just said I could use my maiden name again, that's the way I wanted it to be. How much alimony do you get? Isn't that a little personal? Maybe it is, but I'd like to know how a young woman living alone with no job can dress so well. That puts a nice apartment, a nice furniture. Well, it doesn't have anything to do with it. It doesn't have anything to do with it at all. How much alimony do you get? $200 a month. Is your former husband regular in this payment? Good he has been. $300 a month enough to wait a little bit? It's adequate. Nailen, you know a man named Philip Creedy? No. How about Arthur Harrods? No, I don't know any Arthur Harrods. I only read a little bit. What is all about? What's it to the right to know you bring me over to these personal places like I was a criminal or something? Philip Creedy and Arthur Harrods are the two men who were picked up in Albany by the state police. They were in your car. I don't see what that has to do with how much alimony I get or how I hear or what kind of clothes I wear. They told the officers who went up to bring them back that you hired them to rob Mr. Harrods. I did? That's what they said. That's ridiculous. They said they met you in a bar in Greenwich Village. You told them you had a date with a Swiss manufacturer from Chicago. That's crazy. I said you told them you only carried a lot of money. What's up with the crazy? They said you went into a certain nightclub. They said you told them where you parked your car, what time you'd be there, what time you'd be out. That's not so. They said you told them exactly what to do, where to be and where to go, even to wreck your car so you could collect the insurance money. That's so ridiculous. I don't even want to talk about it. No, it sounds ridiculous. That's what they said. I don't care what they said. Why would they want to put you into this thing if you had nothing to do with it? I don't know why, but I had nothing to do with it. Nothing at all. It's the silliest thing I ever heard of. It's crazy. It's a crazy lie. Well, we'll get it straightened out. It won't be hard. I'm so glad to hear that. Now, Mr. Aaridge got into town on Monday. Yes. You saw him? You said Monday night, Tuesday night and last night. That's right. Whose idea was it to get down to Greenwich Village last night? Who cares, Wally? Go to Greenwich Village Tuesday night? We went to the theater. And after the theater? Yeah. Got that where you went? Yes, it is. We went to Mark's place. 21st Quartet and Monday night? Yeah. Night club. All right. In Greenwich Village? Hold on a second. No, in the town. Lieutenant. Yeah, what? Uh, this, uh, now? Now? Yeah. Yeah, right now. I'll tell you what. You want to tell me where they've been? Oh, yes, sir. Hello, Wally. I'll be right out. Go ahead. Yes, Lieutenant. Did you go to a club in Greenwich Village the last time Mr. Aaridge was in New York? No. He ever taken you to the village? No. Then why'd you go last night? There was an ask there. We were interested in you. Well, who was interested? You or Mr. Aaridge? Oh, that is so ridiculous. I don't even want to talk about it anymore. I refuse to talk about it. All right. Let's skip it for a while. Mrs. Aaridge is outside. Oh, is she? Do you know her? No. She went right from LaGuardia to the hospital. There was nothing she could do there, so I asked her to come over. I think she'd like to hear from you how it happened. Yes, I think she's entitled to hear from me. Does she know that I was with Walter's time? Imagine if she does. Imagine if she knows the whole story about Walter and me. I imagine. Well, all right. Is the local? Yes, sir. Okay. She'll be right in. I don't know when I can tell her. Right in there, Mrs. Aaridge. Come in, please. Thank you. Close the door, I want... Yes. Mrs. Aaridge, this is Lieutenant King. How do you do? Lieutenant King. And Miss Mayland. I'm sorry about what happened, Mrs. Aaridge. Very sorry. I know, I suppose we all are. I just came from the hospital, Lieutenant. I understand your condition is quite critical. Yes, I know. I want to thank you for the interest you've shown, Miss Mayland. I heard you were there all night and practically all this morning. Yes, I was. It was very critical. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry. After what you told us I thought you got ill at home last week. Don't worry about it. I was just worried. I'm just worried about our hug. I was worried about everything. We played. That's just the way it is. Yes, I was. I heard you before yesterday and that was your wife, Amy. Just this morning? Yes, I was. It was very considered. I appreciate it. Have you known Walter a long time? Yes, sometimes. I did. I knew you'd understand what he said. After the two women concluded their conversation, Lieutenant King spoke privately to Mrs. Herring for a few minutes. Then she returned to the hospital. The interrogation of Ms. Nailen was then continued. She vehemently denied any connection with the two men who had been arrested by the New York State Police near Albany. Shortly after 2 p.m., Lieutenant King received a phone call from Detective Fitzpatrick in charge of the details driving the suspect back from Albany. He was calling from a selling station on the Henry Hudson Drive in the Bronx and informed the lieutenant that they would be at the station house within a half hour. After a few more minutes of questioning, Lieutenant King reminded Ms. Nailen that she had had nothing to eat all day. She agreed that she was hungry and was escorted to a restaurant on Lexington Avenue by Detective Whitey Howard. I was still at the meeting of the borough commander's office at 2 p.m. when the two suspects arrived at the station house. They were taken upstairs to the detective squad where they were immediately fingerprinted and their pedigrees taken. Then together they were taken to Lieutenant King's office. All right. Where are you taking us now? Right in here. What's in there? Salute, Lieutenant. Salute, Lieutenant, Otz. All right, go on. Go on, Otz. I'm going. Over here and sit down. Where? Where do you want to sit? Right there. Sit down. Sit down, Otz. Just close the door, Len. Yes, sir. You're Creeley? That's right, yeah. You're Harrods? I'm Harrods, yeah. Ever in trouble before, Creeley? Well, yeah. Where? In New York. For what? Where in Washington? Where'd you get out of it? Three years suspended. Ever do any time? Yeah. Where? Elmira. 22 months of burglary. What about you? Me? Yeah. You ever in trouble? Just in the army, that's all. I did some time in Leavenworth. And I took a penitentiary to B.B. there. For what? For stealing. I understand you two admit shooting the man. Did you? Yeah, we shot him. Didn't we, Otz? Yeah, we shot him. How much? Get off him. I don't know. $1,100. $1,100, yeah. Yeah, and we said, get out of that tune. Got us into this thing. She put the whole thing up to it. That right, Otz? Yeah, that's right. I mean, we didn't want any trouble. We dipped out for a good time. She saw us in that bar in the village. Not the place where they went to get another joint. Two things she saw us. When? Tuesday. What time Tuesday? In the afternoon, that right, Otz? Yeah, yeah, that's right. I mean, we didn't want any trouble. You ever see her before that? Oh, sure, sure. Lots of times we've seen her around. I knew her for years. When I introduced her out, didn't I say meet an old friend of mine? Yeah, that's what she said, Otz. I mean, she put herself through it. I didn't want any trouble. I had enough trouble all my life. I won't stay out of trouble. She told us she had a date with this fellow, that he always carries around a lot of money, and he'd take them to this place. He'd get a little tight. It'd be a cinch. She didn't tell us we'd have to shoot him. Then she said then it's a simple operation, didn't she, Otz? That's right. We thought it would be simple. She denies. She even knows him. Well, of course she'd deny it. What do you think she's going to do, admit it? She put it up to it. It was all her idea. It'd be a cinch. Nothing to it. Otz will ban me out, won't you, Otz? Yeah. I'll tell you. She put it up to it. Where's the gun you shot him with? We threw it out in the parkway someplace. I'll tell you where. I know just where, don't I, Otz? Yeah. It was a fine thing putting us up to something like this. We didn't want any trouble. She gave us a sob story about how she can't make ends meet. It wouldn't be so bad now if she tried to squirm out of it. But she's not going to get off with nothing, isn't that right, Otz? Yeah. Just so. Go look at the theater back, will you? Yes, sir. Are you in here, Lieutenant? Yeah. Yes, sir. Okay. How's the guy today? About the same. I hope he don't die. You'd better hope so. I wasn't thinking about myself. I just didn't mean him any harm, you know. I don't mind somebody getting hooked for something they did when they tried to lie their way out of it when you got them 14 ways to breakfast and something else. Is that right, Otz? Yeah. Yeah, that's right. Is that tight? Yeah. What are you trying to lie your way out of it for? I don't even want to talk about it. Sure. Sure you don't want to talk about it because anything you say might get you in deeper. That's all. What are you trying to do to me? I just want you to get what's coming to you. Okay, all right. She's lying. That's all. All right, Phil, keep it quiet. Now, have you ever seen these two before? Yes. They're the two that held us up in St. Wallace. Now, you see? She don't mind telling the truth about that. It don't hurt her. All right. She told us exactly what to do and how to get the money. She even told us where he kept it. And she told us where he kept it. What pocket? I didn't want anything to do with it. She told us. Isn't that right, Art? Isn't that the honest to goodness move? It's not. She's not. Tell him, Art. Isn't it? No. No, she had nothing to do with it. Are you crazy? Phil, uh, she thought up the whole idea while we were laying over in Albany. She said when the New York cops get here, let's put it all on the girl and it would go better for us. It was his idea to do that. How do you like that? She said if we could put some of the blame on her, we won't get so much trouble. She said if we could put some of the blame on her, we won't get so much trouble. It would go easier on us if we got to be witness against her. How do I get you along? That'll be a long way. I'm sorry, lady. I didn't want to hurt you. There's enough people hurt already. Thanks. Now let's go outside, Miss Mellon. How do you like that? Keep your eye on them, Lord. Yes, sir. Guy won't make it easier on them. Go. Well, get that settled, Miss Mellon. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I hope so. I'm sorry for any anxiety we've caused you, but we've got to check these things through. Well, it's over. Thank goodness for that. Hello, Matt. Oh, hello, Captain. You've met Miss Mellon, Captain Kanelli? Yes, who, Matt? Hello. Well, how's it going, Matt? Miss Mellon is just leaving. Oh? We've got the car downstairs, Miss Mellon. Have to put in a claim with the desk officer for it. Do I have to do it right away? No, there's no hurry. I want to get back to the hospital. All right. I'll see you later. I'll see you later. I'll see you later. I'll see you later. I'll see you later. Well, I just got back to the hospital. Oh, I can't say it with a pleasure. Goodbye, Miss Mellon. We'll call you when we need you. Goodbye, Captain. Goodbye. Oh, I'm glad she's cleared, Matt. It would have been too bad. Yes, sir. Well, you want to hear what I've got to say to those boys who are wasting our time? I'm sure you don't need any help from me. 21st Police Station, Sergeant Kenny. What do you mean robbed? Held up? Where is this? Where? 1105 or 1109. Who got shot? Who? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Where? 1105 or 1109. Who got shot? Who? Yeah. Well, where do they go? Upside or down? And so it goes. Around the clock, through the week, every day, every year. A police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood miracle round. Anyone can catch the brass ring. Or, the brass ring can catch anyone. Or, the brass ring can catch anyone. Or, the brass ring can catch anyone. The police precinct in the city of New York is a flesh and blood miracle round.
